This is a very basic recipe. You can add lime juice, radishes, corn… anything, actually!

The most important part of making guacamole is choosing your avocados! They can’t be too green, or too smooshy, you see. Less than perfect avocados make less than perfect guacamole, and nobody wants that.

Here’s a photo of the perfect avocado:

It’s black on the outside, and has no signs of bruising. When you cut the avocado you want to see a lot of yellow and green, not a lot of black.

I spent a lot of time standing in the grocery store feeling avocados so I could tell you what they feel like when they are ripe (just for you, Denise!) , and I have decided that it feels kind of like a banana. Firm, but not too smooshy.

Slice the avocado in half, but be careful for the seed. It’s big, and you can’t cut through it. Next, slice off any black areas, like I did at the very top.

Now you’ll want to remove the seed. The only way I know how to do it is the way I won’t let my kids do it…

Whack the seed with the knife, then turn the knife (and the seed) to remove.

Homemade Guacamole

You’ll need:

2 perfect avocados

one bunch of cilantro

1/4 cup diced onions

1/4 cup tomatoes

kosher salt

Now, let’s get to work:

1. Dice tomato and onion, set aside in a bowl.

2. Chop at least 1/2 cup of cilantro, add to the tomato and onion.

3. Add a pinch of salt (I use kosher). Don’t use too much salt until you try the guacamole with your tortilla chips. If your chips are salty, you’ll want to add less salt to your guacamole.

4. Start smooshing your avocado! Using a fork, smoosh gently and not too much. You want some chunks – trust me.

5. Mix it all together…

Don’t go crazy with the mixing part. Just enough to mix the ingredients is fine. Remember, you don’t want baby food – you want guacamole!

And if you can find a cutie to share your guacamole with, it tastes 10 times better.

If you were in my kitchen right now?

I’d tell you that green avocados can be stored on the counter in a brown paper bag until they ripen.

Tags: Appetizers, If you were in my kitchen..., Mexican, Recipes